The control of airborne fines in such environments as coal and grain processing plants remains a difficult problem with satisfactory control of such airborne fines in an economic manner having been essentially heretofore unattained. Such airborne fines are dangerous in that they create a decidedly explosive atmosphere. They constitute a long range health hazard to the workers who must breathe the fines-laden atmosphere, and their deposit on virtually every surface throughout a processing plant creates a cleanliness problem which, in addition to the readily apparent aesthetic drawbacks, further constitutes secondary health and safety considerations. Further, in some environments, such as in coal processing plants, the fines (e.g., coal dust) have an intrinsic value which has been heretofore uneconomical to recover because of the difficulty in collecting, containing, and handling the fines.
It will therefore be readily apparent that it would be highly desirable to provide economical and reliable means to collect, contain and transport processing plant fines in order to create a clean, safe operating environment and to recover such intrinsic value as may be found in particular fines.